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Have your say on local news in Wales

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1 February 2010

Issued on behalf of the Selection Panel for the Independently Funded News Consortia pilots

What do you think of your regional television news? Is there enough information about what’s happening where you live? Would you like more local stories online or on the radio? These are all questions that will be put to members of the public who come along to a meeting in Cardiff on Wednesday 3 February about the future of national and regional news in Wales.

Given ITV’s decision to withdraw from regional news provision in the long term, the Government is planning to run three pilot schemes, one each in Wales, Scotland and Tyne Tees/Borders to try new ways of providing news at regional, local and hyperlocal level. The Government would fund a consortia of media companies to provide local news content across a number of different platforms, including the television slot currently occupied by ITV regional news.

An independent panel of media experts, which will be selecting the winning bidders, is visiting Cardiff on Wednesday 3 February to discuss each of the bids in detail. To help them make a recommendation to Ministers as to who should run the Welsh pilot they will also hold a public meeting. This meeting will enable local people to hear from the three bidders competing to run the pilot and to put forward their own ideas and views.

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Richard Hooper Chair of the independent selection panel said:

“The future of national, regional and local news across Wales is extremely important. The planned public meeting in Cardiff gives people an opportunity to hear about the proposals and ask questions, and I would encourage as many people as possible to come along.”

The three consortia bidding for the Welsh pilot are:

  • ITN with Newsquest, Northcliffe Media, Tindle, Boomerang and ITV Wales news staff;
  • Tinopolis;
  • UTV with NWN Media Ltd.

The public meeting will be taking place from 3-4pm on Wednesday 3 February at the Wales Millennium Centre, Bute Place, Cardiff Bay, CF10 5AL.

Similar events are also being held in Newcastle on 5 February and in Glasgow on 8 February.  See the link below for details.


Notes to Editors

  1. More information about the IFNC Pilots and the Selection Panel can be found at the DCMS website.
  2. The public meeting in Newcastle on 5 February will be taking place from 3-4pm at Northern Film & Media, Studio 3, The Kiln, Hoults Yard, Walker Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1AB.
  3. The public meeting in Glasgow on 8 February will be taking place from 2-3pm at Radisson Hotel, 301 Argyle St, G2 8DL.

Press Enquiries: 020 7211 6052/6277
Out of hours telephone pager no: 07699 751153
Public Enquiries: 020 7211 6200

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